Greenwood Furnace Group Ride (Central PA)

The annual NMBA [http://www.nittanymba.org/] greenwood furnace group ride will be Sunday the 21st at 11am. We will meet in the usual spot, as you come to Greenwood furnace State Park on Route 305, take the left just as you pass the main parking lot. Continue past the new ranger station and that lot, go across the bridge and take the first left, we will be right back in there near the visitor center. Be sure and park completely off the road going through there, we got in trouble for that last year. We will have rides for all abilities and burgers & a pot-luck picnic afterwards. Feel free to bring any side dishes or deserts. If you have not ridden on that side of the woods, it is highly recommend you make it out. There are some really great trails out there.

Directions to Greenwood Furnace: About 35 minutes from State College. Take Rt 26 over the mountain at Pine Grove Mills, take a left on Rt 305 or Greenwood Rd at McElavys Fort. Then follow that road to the park.

My wife and I (both novices) are thinking about coming out for this ride. We've ridden around in Scotia and in Rothrock a little (Tussy Trail and Extensions). How would you say this ride rates in terms of technicality, "aerobic difficulty" and distance? We just wouldn't want to hold up a group that may be chomping at the bit to hammer. Thanks in advance.

We have always broken into three groups. A fasties "A" group that ends up doing about 35-45 miles at a fast quasi-race pace. A normal person B group that want to do a mix of the funky & fun trails out there at a medium pace. They usually cover about 20 miles with easy early cut offs back to the picnic area. And a third group that just explores trails based on what the folks want to do. With either of the latter groups you do not have to worry about holding others back. If such hammer-head folks go on the B ride, they usually break off on their own early.

We have always broken into three groups. A fasties "A" group that ends up doing about 35-45 miles at a fast quasi-race pace. A normal person B group that want to do a mix of the funky & fun trails out there at a medium pace. They usually cover about 20 miles with easy early cut offs back to the picnic area. And a third group that just explores trails based on what the folks want to do. With either of the latter groups you do not have to worry about holding others back. If such hammer-head folks go on the B ride, they usually break off on their own early.